Monorail system.



W. D. VALENTINE.

MONORAIL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13, 1909. 1,049,782. Patented Jan. 7, 1915 4 SHEETSSHEET-L ,e w V Witnesses 2 iwua 4 606 a u ldkanot 142 v, I

W. D. VALENTINE.

MONORAIL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED APR.13, 1909.

1,049,782. Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

w Lwwoo co a vwewtoz Hon [c134 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

W. D. VALENTINE.

MONORAIL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION mum APR. 13, 1909.

1,049,782. Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPII (JO-.WASIIINGTOR. n. c.

W. D. VALENTINE.

MONORAIL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED APR 13, 1909.

1,049,782. Patented Jan. 7, 1913 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

lllllllillllNlllllllllllllllllllllllll lllt' mu UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER D. VALENTINE. OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T NATIONAL RAPID TRANSIT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON.

MONOBAIL SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 7,1913.

Application filed April 13, 1909. Serial No. 489,699.

To (1 whom it may (on/cw;

Be it known that I, IVAL'rna D. VALEN- TINE, of East Orange, in the county of Esand in the State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Monorail Systems, and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

The object of my invention has been to provide a monorail system which shall be 'zapable of causing trains to travel at a high rate of speed with safety and comfort; and to such ends my invention consists in the monorail system hereinafter specified.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car and truck embodying my invention; Fig. 2 an enlarged view of one end of the car. together with the rail, the car being broken away to show a truck in side elevation; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a truck and rail, the car being shown in section; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line T -(l of Fig. 2; Fig. is a plan view of one of the frames carrying the lateral wheels; and Fig. 6 is a central transverse sectional view of one of the motor wheels.

The embodiment. of my invention which is illustrated in this application for patent is the best embodiment known to me. It is, however, only one of many possible embodiments of my invention and is to be regarded only as typical.

It is well known that much greater speed is possible to train supported on a single rail. than to one supported on two rails. I therefore support my train upon a single rail. In order, however, to steady the train against lateral motion, and to prevent its being overturned, I provide two additional rails which are substantially inverted, and wheels to bear underneath said additional rails so as to take the said lateral strains. In the illustrated embodiment, the single rail 10 which supports the car itself is secured. upon the top of a column, and preferably upon such a structure as I am about to describe, the object of which structure is to afford such a support for the lateral rails 11 as will maintain them at suflicient distance apart, horizontally considered. The support consists of a column 12, which may be formed of reinforced concrete, and which column carries at its upper end a plate 13. A piece of wood or other elastic material may be interposed between the rail 10 and its support. A lattice girder is supported upon the central part of the plate 13, and such girder may consist of angle irons 14 and 15 respectively, connected by lattice work 16. The angle irons are connected at the top and bottom as by horizontal angle irons 17 and 18 respectively, and the rail 10 sets upon the top angle iron 17, or a plate 19 supported thereby. Lateral bars 20, which are preferably formed of T-iron, or angle iron. are secured at their upper ends to the lattice girder, and extend downwardly and away from the girder in an inclined position. and then vertically downward to the level of the plate 18, after which they are bent to the column 12, and secured to said column, or to the reinforcement within the column. Angle brackets 21 are secured to the vertical portions of the bars and support the lateral rails 11, which are secured to said brackets on their lower inclined faces. The columns 12, for supporting trains going in one direction, may be connected by cross ties 22 to the corresponding columns for supporting trains going in the opposite direction. The ties 22 may be connected by bars 23 with the bars 20, and sway-bars 24 may be connected with the columns 12 to further brace them.

The trucks for supporting the cars are constructed as follows: Each truck is supported upon a motor-wheel, consisting of a rim 25 having two flanges so as to embrace both edges of the main rail 10. Spiders or frames 26 are bolted to the sides of the said rims, and an axle 27 is journaled in the said spiders. A field core 28 is mounted inside of the rim and is provided with coils 29. An armature 30 is secured upon the axle, as is also secured a ring 31, which supports the commutator bars 32, the contact surface of which latter 33 is formed in a plane. The commutator bars are provided with the usual dovetailed ends which are engaged by a ring 34 that is secured upon a sleeve 35 on the axle. A. brush 36, preferably in the form of a cylindrical carbon rod, is mounted in a conductive bushing 37 which is mounted in the left hand spider or frame 26, as seen in Fig. 6,and a spring 38,held in said bushing by a cover plate 39, forces the said carbon against the commutator bars. The field coils are connected to the said bushing in any desired manner. The right hand spider or frame 26, as seen in Fig. 6, is provided with a slip ring 40 concentric with the axle, and mounted in a plane perpendicular thereto, the slip ring being preferably mounted upon an insulating ring 41.

'hile I have described the construction of the preferred form of motor for driving my motor wheels, it is obvious the motor can be changed in many respects, and many different types of motor can be used. The motor which is illustrated is not claimed specifically in the present application, as it is the subject of another application for patent filed by me. There are two motor wheels for each truck, and each end of each motor wheel axle is provided with a bearing box 42 which is mounted in a vertical guide-way in the truck frame. The truck frame consists of side frames 43 which are connected at each end as by channel beams 44, and which are connected at the middle as by channel beams 45, angle irons preferably being used to connect the channel beams with the side frames. on the outside of each bearing box is preferably secured a cap plate 46, in which is mounted a screw 47, provided with suitable lock nuts, which screws bear upon the ends of the axles and prevent cndwise motion of the axles. Each side frame is provided with a boss 48, at the upper end of each guide-way, which rests upon a spring 49, the latter being supported upon the respective bearing box. Each bearing box has a pair of de 'iressed seats 50 formed in its upper surface, inside and outside of the springs 49, and each side frame has an inner equalizer bar 51 and an outer equalizer bar 52, each of which bars has a. lug 53 that is received in the corre sponding depressed seat. The equalizer bars are connected by bolts 54 which extend through slots in the side frames. Each side frame has at each end thereof a cylinder 56 having a piston therein, whose piston rod 57 carries a cross pin 58, and there is a link 59 at each end of each cross pin, which is pivoted to the end of the equalizer bar which is immediately above it. The said cylinders contain an elastic medium, preferably air (but it may be any other fluid, or a spring) which, interposed between the upper cylinder head and the piston, tends to raise the truck frame by depressing the piston rods, and thus to support the frame on such fluid pressure and take the strain off of the springs 49. The springs 49 are chiefly for the purpose of supporting the truck frame in case the pneumatic apparatus, which is described. out of order. The side frames 43 support a channel 60, upon which channel are riveted four springs 61, which are preferably elliptical. These springs support a bolster 62. The latter is preferably built up in rectangular cross-section, by means, for instance, of channels 63 united by a plate 64 at the bottom, and by a plate 65 at the top. The fifth wheel, or king-pin bearing, 66 is supported on the bolster, and the car body rests thereon, and bearing blocks 67 are also prefcral'ily provided to prevent lateral tipping of the car body. The springs 61 are not intended to give vertical elasticity to the car, but are provided to permit a certain amount of lateral tipping of the car as is necessary when going around curves, and particularly compound curves, where the truck at one end of the car must necessarily be at .a different angle to the horizontal from the truck at the other end of the car. In order, therefore, to limit the vertical movement. possible, due to the springs, the bolster is connected to the channel 60 as by means of links 67 which are pivoted at. their upper ends to the channel beams 43, or other parts attached to the bolster and at their lower ends to pins 68 secured to the channel.

To prevent the car from turning over laterally, arms 69 are secured to the side frames of the truck and are provided with frames 70 at their lower ends, which frames consist preferably of parallel plates so that three pairs of guide-ways 71 are provided, in which may be. mounted journal boxes of wheels 72, 73 and 74, respectively, that are adapted to bear upon the lateral rails 11 before mentioned. The wheels 72 and 74 are flanged to fit the rails, but the middle wheel 73 is without flanges, so that the car can take curves without difficulty. Equaliyer bars 75 rest upon the bearing boxes of the wheels 72 and 73, and a pneumaticallycperated piston rod 76 is interposed between said bars and the frame 70. Arms 70, or equivalent rigid devices, are formed on, or carried by, the side frames, in such position that if either set of lateral wheels should get out of order, these arms would strike against the lateral rails, and prevent the car from overturning.

Current is supplied to the lateral rails, and thus passes into the lateral wheels 72, 73 and 74. The rims of these wheels are insulated from their axles so that current cannot pass the axles. Contact shoes 79 bear upon the rims of wheels 72 and 74, and such shoes are preferably provided with rollers, which run upon the said rims and take off current. Springs 80 cause the shoes to bear upon the said rims or tires. A lead 81 connects each shoe with one of the brushes which bear upon the slip ring 40. The said slip ring is connected with the field circuit, and the current after passing through the field reaches the commutator bars 36, and thence, by means of the frame and rim of the motorwheel, goes to the main rail 10. The brushes for the slip rings are mounted in sockets 82 formed of the side frames of the truck.

The car body 83 rests upon the bolsters and is secured thereto by king bolts. The said body may have a floor which is all upon one plane, but I prefer to make it as shown in the drawings, in which the floor between the trucks is lowered nearly to the level of the main rail.

In the operation of my said system, current being supplied to the lateral rails, passes to the tires of the wheels 72 and 74, thence to the contact shoes and through the leads to the slip ring brushes in the sockets 82, and through said brushes to the slip rings. The current thence passes through the fields, and to one of the brushes 36, thence through the commutator and the armature coils and out through the other brush 36, whence it is conveyed by a proper lead to the motor wheel frame, and passes through the tire of the motor-wheel to the main rail. If desired, in order to effect a quick starting, the pneumatic pressure upon the lateral wheels may be increased so that the motorwheel is drawn more firmly upon the main rail. The motor-wheels drive the car, while the wheels in engagement with the lateral rails prevent overturning of the car. The floor of the car is so low, and the weight of the lateral wheels and the frames in which they are mounted is so heavy, that there is little tendency to overturn the car. The center of gravity may be made lower than the main rail, if desired, so that there will be no tendency of the car to overturn. The air in the pneumatic cylinders 56 provides a very easy cushion upon which the car is support-- ed, and a medium of elasticity, which acts so quickly that the motor-wheels will have great flexibility and be able to adapt themselves to sudden changes in the track if necessary. The elliptical springs 61 permit the trucks to turn laterally about the main rail, as will be necessary where the track twists in passing from a tangent to a curve or about compound curves. The pneumatic pressure holding the wheels against the lateral rails admits of all necessary yielding, and with such quickness that a high speed is obtain able. The lateral rails are at a suflicient distance from the main rail to give ample leverage, so that there is abundant strength to resist the tendency of the car to overturn.

It will be observed that my monorail system provides a car which it is impossible to derail, since it cannot be lifted off the rail; that it can climb very heavy grades, since the pneumatic arrangement provides for gripping the rails; and that my car can start very quickly, because of such gripping action, the pneumatic pressure being increased, if desired, at starting, and afterward reduced when the car is running.

The motor-wheel, which is illustrated in the present application, is not claimed here in, but the right to separately claim the said w... .W MM-e mmewaaew;

invention is reserved. Likewise, the car body is not claimed herein, but such invention is reversed for a separate application.

I claim:

1. In a railway system, the combination of a rail, a car having wheels adapted to rest upon the top thereof, and pneumatic means for drawing said wheels down into firm contact with said rail.

2. In a railway system, the combination of a car, a supporting rail for the same, lat-- eral rails having underneath tread surfaces located below said supporting rail. driving wheels on said car resting on said supporting rail, lateral wheels on said car to engage said lateral rails, and fluid elastic means to press said wheels against said rails.

3. In a monorail system, the combination of a supporting rail, a plurality of wheels adapted to be supported thereby, equalizer bars supported by said wheels, a truck frame,pneumatic apparatus supporting said frame from said equalizer bars, and s 'irings interposed between said frame and the bearings of said wheels.

4. In a monorail system, the combination of a supporting rail, wheels adapted to run thereon, a truck frame supported on said wheels, springs supported by said frame, and a bolster bar supported by said springs, said springs being elliptical, and links being provided which are pivoted at their lower ends to said frame and at their upper ends to said bolster to limit the movement of said springs.

5. In a monorail railway system, the combination of a supporting rail, downwardlyturned lateral rails on each side of and below said supporting rail, wheels adapted to rest on said supporting rail, a truck frame carried by said wheels, lateral arms carried by said frame, slide-ways formed in said arms in the plane of said lateral rails, bearings mounted in said slide-ways, wheels mounted in said bearings, equalizer bars adapted to bear upon said bearings, and yielding means adapted to force said equalizer bars toward said lateral rails.

6. In a monorail railway system, the combination of a supporting rail, lateral rails on each side of and below said supporting rail, wheels adapted to rest on said supporting rail, equalizer bars adapted to rest upon the axles of said wheels, a truck frame, means for yieldingly supporting said frame upon said equalizer bars, a bolster, means for permitting yielding of said bolster substantially about said supporting rail as an axis, a car body swiveled to said bolster, and wheels carried by said truck frame and adapted to engage said lateral rails.

7. In a monorail railway system, the combination of a supporting rail, lateral rails on each side of and below said supporting rail, wheels adapted to rest on said supporting rail, equalizer bars adapted to rest upon the axles of said Wheels, a truck frame, means for yieldingly supporting said frame upon said equalizer bars, a bolster, means for permitting yielding of said bolster substantially about said supporting rail as an axis, a car bodv swiveled to said bolster, Wheels carried by said truck frame and adapted to engage said lateral rails, and means for yieldingly forcing said last-mentioned Wheels against said lateral. rails.

8. In a monorail railway system, the combination of a supporting rail, lateral rails upon each side of and below said supporting rail, a truck having Wheels adapted to engage each of said rails, a motor-Wheel adapted to rest upon said supporting rail, the rim of said motor-Wheel being in circuit with said motor, said lateral rails being in circuit With a source of supply, one of the Wheels engaging said lateral rails having an insulated rim, and a contact shoe engaging said rim and connected With said motor.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

ANNA NEWCOMB, MARIAN MEIKLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

